Key Takeaways
- Your Original Medicare benefits (parts A and B) remain the same regardless of the state you live in, but you must ensure that your doctors, healthcare professionals, and facilities in your new state participate in Medicare.
- Moving to a new state may require you to change your Medicare Advantage (Part C) or Part D plan, as plan availability and costs vary by location. However, a special enrollment period is triggered when you move outside your plan’s service area, so you should avoid penalty charges.
- If you have a Medigap plan, you can keep it when moving to a new state as long as you keep Original Medicare and do not switch to a Medicare Advantage plan.
Medicare is a federal healthcare program for people ages 65 and over and those under age 65 with specific health conditions.
The main federal Medicare coverage is Original Medicare, which offers standardized coverage across the United States. So, if you’re moving to another state, the good news is that your coverage will stay the same.
However, moving to a new state can impact other plans that private insurers administer, such as Medicare Advantage, Medigap supplement insurance, and Part D prescription drug plans.
However, moving to a new state can impact other plans that private insurers administer, such as a Medicare Advantage, Medigap supplement insurance, and Part D prescription drug plans.
Because it’s a federal program, Medicare provides services in every part of the country. It doesn’t matter which state you live in — your Original Medicare coverage will stay the same.
You’ll often need to find new healthcare professionals who participate in Medicare. Doctors must accept Medicare’s payment terms and meet certain requirements to participate in the program.
Regardless of where you live, participating doctors and healthcare professionals will submit a bill to Medicare for their services.
Transferring Original Medicare
You can use Original Medicare (parts A and B) anywhere in the country. Medicare Part A covers inpatient care, and Part B covers outpatient medical services.
Coverage extends to all 50 states and several U.S. territories, including:
- American Samoa
- Guam
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Puerto Rico
- U.S. Virgin Islands
Transferring Medicare Advantage
You may choose a Medicare Advantage (Part C) plan, which combines the services of Original Medicare with extras like prescription drug coverage, dental, and vision care.
Private insurers administer Medicare Advantage plans on Medicare’s behalf, and the plan options and costs will vary depending on the state where you live and the companies offering the plans there.
Generally, once you enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan, you will need to keep it for the entire calendar year. However, if you move, you may be eligible to change your plan during a special enrollment period.
To make sure your Medicare coverage continues when you move, you can take the following steps if you have a Medicare Advantage plan:
- Contact your current plan provider before your move.
- Ask if the plan provider offers plans in the state or area you’re moving to.
- Ask about any changes to your plan that might occur once you move. For example:
- Will you pay an out-of-network fee?
- Will your premium cost more?
- How will you find a new doctor or pharmacy?
- Find out from your plan provider whether it’s best to switch to a new plan before you move or after.
- If you need to find a new plan, start researching available options in your new location.
Transferring Medicare Part D prescription drug plans
Like Medicare Advantage, private insurance companies administer Medicare Part D prescription drug plans.
The available plan options and costs will vary depending on where you live. Similarly to Medicare Advantage, there is a special enrollment period during which you can switch your Part D plan to a new local option.
If you currently have a stand-alone Part D drug plan, follow the steps listed above for Medicare Advantage to make sure you can transfer your coverage to your new state.
Transferring Medigap plans
Medicare supplement plans, or Medigap, are optional plans you can add to Original Medicare to help cover some of your out-of-pocket costs.
If you have a Medigap plan and plan to move out of state, you can keep your policy no matter where you live, as long as you remain with Original Medicare and don’t switch to a Medicare Advantage plan.
If you do decide to change your Medigap plan once you’ve moved to a new state, you may have to pay more for the new policy. These cost differences can depend on a number of factors, such as:
- Your eligibility for the new policy.
- The plan options you choose.
- The rates in your state.
You can use Medicare’s helpful tool to determine whether you can switch or drop your Medigap plan.
Moving is one life change that qualifies for a special enrollment period.
Moving outside your current plan’s service area
If you move out of your current Medicare Advantage plan’s service area, you can switch to a new plan in the month before or within 2 months after you move.
If you wait until you’ve moved to notify your current plan provider, you then have the month you notify the plan plus an additional 2 months to switch to a new plan.
Moving to a new area, your plan is still available, but there are new options
If you’re moving to a new area that offers plans you couldn’t get before, notify your plan provider of your move. You’ll have the month before you move plus 2 months after you move to make a change.
If you wait to notify your plan until after you’ve moved, you’ll be able to make changes to your existing plan in the month you notify your plan, plus an additional 2 months after.
Making Medigap plan changes
Enrollment periods for Medigap plans are a little different. It’s best to buy a Medigap plan during the 6 months immediately after enrolling in Medicare Part B.
After that, you may not be able to buy a Medigap plan, and even if you can, you may have to pay more.
If you’re transitioning into or out of inpatient care
There will be no disruption to your Medicare benefits if you’ve been hospitalized as an inpatient and move out of state after discharge.
Medicare Part A, part of Original Medicare and a required part of every Medicare Advantage plan, covers hospitalization and inpatient care.
While you may need to switch your Medicare Advantage plan once you move, your Medicare Part A benefits will remain the same.
Here are some common questions and answers around changing Medicare plans.
It’s important to change your address with the Social Security Administration, which manages Medicare.
You can do this online or by calling 800-772-1213.
If you split your residence between homes in two states, Original Medicare should apply in both locations as long as you go to medical providers covered by Medicare.
When it comes to Medical Advantage or Part D, your coverage depends on the specific plan and on the pharmacy that your plan contracts with. You should check with your plan about this directly.
If you’re visiting another state, you can get medical care if you have Original Medicare parts A and B as long as the provider accepts Medicare.
If you have Medicare Advantage or a Part D prescription drug plan, you’ll need to call your plan provider to confirm coverage.
The plan provider will be able to advise how you can use your coverage while traveling out of state, as coverage may depend on the plan type and whether or not there are network restrictions.
Original Medicare should offer out-of-state coverage for emergency care as long as you’re within the United States.
Your Medicare Advantage coverage for emergencies may depend on your specific plan.
With a few exceptions, Medicare will not pay for emergency care outside of the United States.
If you move from one state to another and have Original Medicare, your benefits won’t change. However, you may need to find new healthcare professionals and facilities that participate in Medicare.
If you have a Medicare Advantage or Medicare Part D plan, you may need to find a new one. This will depend on whether your plan is available in your new location.
If your plan is unavailable in your new home state, you should be able to sign up for a new one without penalty through a special enrollment period.
However, Medigap benefits don’t change from state to state. You can keep your Medigap plan provided you continue using Original Medicare.